Packaging News South Africa

Alpla to consolidate manufacturing in Gauteng with new plant

Austrian packaging manufacturer Alpla Group is building a new factory in Lanseria near Johannesburg, which will bundles activities from five existing plants.
Lanseria production plant rendering
Lanseria production plant rendering

Construction on the new plant in Lanseria started in February 2020, with completion of the building scheduled for 2021. As part of a consolidation, the production of five existing plants in Harrismith, Denver, Isando, Kempton Park and Samrand will be transferred to the new plant in Lanseria.

Alpla says in a statement that concentrating on one plant not only simplifies and optimises manufacturing processes, but also contributes significantly to improving logistics and transport. Standard bottle solutions and tailor-made packaging for the food, personal care, home care, chemical, detergent and pharmaceutical industries will be predominantly manufactured as before. Customers include international groups as well as smaller, local players.

Construction site
Construction site

Expanding African presence

"Our new plant in Lanseria gives us the opportunity to produce according to modern, globally applicable corporate standards. In this way, we not only improve the quality of our products, but also meet the high demands of our global customers," says Christoph Riedlsperger, Alpla regional director for Africa, the Middle East and Turkey.

In the past five years, Alpla has expanded its market presence in Africa with acquisitions and cooperation agreements, most notably with South Africa's Boxmore Packaging, which specialises in creating PET bottles, PET preforms and closures for bottles. With the construction of a new production site in South Africa, the Alpla Group says it's creating the basis for long-term growth and competitiveness in the sub-Saharan African region.

As part of the consolidation the management contemplates that more than 50 employees would be impacted. Accordingly, a notice in terms of section 189(3) of the LRA will be issued. Trade unions have been informed of these intentions.

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